Healthy Aging Health Center

News Related to Healthy Seniors

Solitude Speeds Effects of Aging

June 22, 2009 -- An active social life may help elderly people fight the effects of aging. A new study shows that older adults who seldom participate in social activities experience a faster rate of motor function decline than those with an active social life. Researchers found that each point decre
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How Old Are You Inside? Blood Test May Tell

June 18, 2009 -- You know how many birthday candles are on your cake, but a new blood test may be able to tell whether you're aging faster, or slower, than you think. That blood test is described in a new study, published in Aging Cell. It measures a protein called p16 that rises with age, and rises
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How to Stay Sharp in Old Age

June 9, 2009 -- Want to stay mentally sharp well into old age? A new study has some advice for you: Exercise at least once a week, don’t smoke, and get a good education. The research, published in Neurology, examined the characteristics of people who don’t lose cognitive function in their 70s and 80
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Healthy Living Still Eludes Americans

May 29, 2009 -- Americans know what they need to do to ward off cardiovascular disease and live longer, but despite health recommendations, most still aren't making smart lifestyle choices, new research indicates. Only a small proportion of adults are engaging in physical activity on a regular basis
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Alcohol's Effects: Old vs. Young People

March 6, 2009 -- Social drinking seems to impair older people more than their younger drinking buddies. Also, older people are less likely to realize how the alcohol is affecting them, according to a new study. The study, published in The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, is based on a resear
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Drug May Combat Frailty in Older Adults

Jan. 27, 2009 -- A drug being studied at Duke University Medical Center boosts production of growth hormone and improves lean muscle mass in older adults, researchers say. The finding is significant because such a drug could combat frailty, which often limits physical activities of older people. The
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Older Americans Take Risky Drug Combos

Dec. 23, 2008 -- Four out of five older adults in the U.S. regularly take at least one prescription drug and slightly more than half take five or more prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, or dietary supplements, a new survey shows. Because older people take more prescription and over-the-coun
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Video Game May Sharpen Older Minds

Dec. 12, 2008 -- Playing strategic video games may improve memory, reasoning, and other "executive" mental skills in older adults. That's according to a new study published in Psychology and Aging. The study included 39 healthy older adults (average age: 69-70) living near the University of Illinois
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Attend Religious Services, Live Longer

Nov. 25, 2008 -- Going to church -- or any kind of religious service -- may prolong your life. A new study shows that older women who regularly attend religious services reduce their risk of death by 20%. The study was published in Psychology and Health. Researchers from Yeshiva University's Albert
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Growth Hormones Retain Seniors' Muscles

Nov. 3, 2008 -- A daily dose of an oral drug that stimulates release of growth hormone helps retain muscle in healthy older adults, reversing part of the normal aging process, a new study shows. Researchers at the University of Virginia conducted a two-year study of 65 healthy older adults, giving s
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